Entering Sunday, Buddy Reed was slumping at the plate.
In three games during the week, he was 2-for-12, one of those hits being a bunt single, with five strikeouts.
He broke out of his slump in a big way against Missouri on Sunday as he tied his career-high in hits, going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run. His resurgence helped the No. 1 Gators complete their Southeastern Conference series opener with a sweep of the Tigers, 7-5.
Florida has won 15 in a row and its 21-1 record is the best 22-game start for a Florida team under coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
The three hits were a welcomed sign for Reed, who hasn’t been able to get going at the plate since he hurt his shoulder diving for a ball during the Gators’ series against Harvard.
"I know guys are going to pick me up, even when I’m not doing good,” Reed said. “And when I’m doing good, I’m going to have to pick other guys up.”
The junior center fielder picked up the team and starting pitcher Alex Faedo early. In the bottom of the first inning, Reed cranked an Austin Tribby fastball over the left-field fence to give the Gators a quick 2-0 lead.
"I just wanted to put a good swing on it and not do too much and it went over the fence," Reed said. "... It always is nice to set the tone offensively."
He set the tone again in the third.
After Dalton Guthrie struck out swinging, Reed laced a single to center — one of five times he reached base Sunday. Then the Finksburg, Maryland, native used his speed.
He stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch before Peter Alonso drove him home on an RBI double, giving the Gators a 3-0 lead.
"He’s a playmaker. He can do everything," Faedo said. "They always give me an early lead and he does a good job of that, like usual."
Faedo used the early run support to stymie the Tigers’ lineup. At one point, he struck out five hitters in a row and was cruising along.
Then the sixth inning happened. Missouri (14-9, 0-3 SEC) tagged Faedo for four runs and climbed back to within one run, 6-5.
"Give them credit," Faedo said. "I gotta lock in more later in the game, third time around the lineup. They did a good job hitting me."
Faedo (5-0) finished his start with nine strikeouts, which gave UF’s starters 30 strikeouts on the weekend.
In total, the Gators’ pitching staff struck out 44 batters during the three games, the most under O’Sullivan in a three-game series.
"(It) just means we have really good arms," O’Sullivan said. "I think as impressive is we’re not walking guys, either. We’re attacking the strike zone. We’re making pitches when we need to. You gotta throw the ball across the plate to strike people out."
Missouri tried to claw its way back and had a couple of opportunities to take the lead. The Tigers had runners on first and second with two down in the top of the seventh when O’Sullivan called on Dane Dunning.
Dunning struck out Ryan Howard looking on four pitches.
The next inning, Dunning struck out Brian Sharp on a 95-mph fastball with Jake Ring on second.
Dunning, who has been a midweek starter for Florida during the season, said he wanted to come out of the bullpen when SEC play started. He made a big impression on O’Sullivan on Sunday.
"I think what Dane did today, boy that’s a huge, huge weapon to have in your back pocket on a Saturday or Sunday," O’Sullivan said. "If you gotta go to him, with that type of arm, that’s pretty special."
Contact Luis Torres at ltorres@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @LFTorresIII.
Buddy Reed swings at a pitch during Florida's 7-5 win over Missouri on March 20, 2016, at McKethan Stadium.
